Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.20
Liaison Megan Butler
Submission Date May 31, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Macalester College
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Suzanne Savanick Hansen
Sustainability Manager
Macalester Sustainbility Office
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Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:

The Leonard Center, Macalester's athletic and wellness facility located on campus, is open to all members of the Macalester community. It includes gym lockers, showers, and bike racks for short-term bicycle storage.

Markim Hall, a LEED Platinum building, was the first administrative building to be equipped with a shower specifically for commuting cyclists. This building also has bike racks for short-term bicycle storage.

Covered bicycle parking is available on campus.


Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:

Every building on campus has access to short-term bicycle parking for all users. For students, there are two long-term bicycle storage cages available on campus.


Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:

A strategic goal of Macalester's High Winds Fund is to "Work to reduce and resolve traffic (cars, pedestrians, and cyclists), transit, and parking concerns affecting neighborhood vitality, quality, and safety.

The plan outlines several goals tactics including creating attractive, pedestrian-oriented building facades, continuing to improve pedestrian safety with the city (through ROW construction projects, and improving the pedestrian-oriented neighborhood shopping experience.


Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:

The Bike Share offers bikes from the Library circulation desk and the Sustainability Office employs a mechanic to administer and maintain the program.The metro NiceRide bikeshare program is located right next to campus too.


Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the mass transit programs:

A variety of Metro Transit bus passes are subsidized by Macalester College and available for sale to students, faculty, and staff at the Information Desk.


Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:

Macalester promotes Metro Transit's Guaranteed Ride Home program for regular alternative commuters.


Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
Yes

A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:

Macalester College offers preferential party for carpools and low emitting vehicles.


Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
Yes

A brief description of the car sharing program:

The Macalester College High Winds Fund supports an HOURCAR hub at the multi-modal transit hub in close proximity to campus. They support the hub through cash grants for the purchase vehicles and through reserved parking stalls for the vehicles in the pool.

Individuals or Macalester College Departments can also sign up for a departmental membership to the car sharing program.

The Civic Engagement Center is an example of a department that extensively uses the departmental membership.


Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:

Macalester has two Level 2 7 kWh electric vehicle ports and one Level 3 port that supports CHAdeMO or CCS open to Macalester students, faculty, and staff as well as the public.


Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
Yes

A brief description of the telecommuting program:

Macalester offers most employees the chance to participate in telecommuting when such opportunities become available; employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement and student employees are not eligible.

Telecommuting arrangements will be considered for any situation where the employee can show that it will benefit him/herself, the work or project in progress, and the College in general.


Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
Yes

A brief description of the condensed work week option:

3.11.1 FLEXIBLE HOURS AND COMPRESSED WORK WEEKS

Many employees are given the opportunity to schedule their own working hours in consultation with their supervisor, within the limitations set by Macalester, in order to meet the goals and objectives of the work unit or department.

Generally, full-time employees work 7.75 hours each day and arrive and leave within specified two-hour periods: employees may arrive anytime between 6:45 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., work 7.75 hours, and leave anytime between 3:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (allowing a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch).

Established arrival and departure times should be consistent day to day and week to week. When necessary, individual offices or departments have the option of revising these arrival/departure hours to meet specific needs with the approval of the direct report.

This optional authority includes the flexibility to schedule a compressed workweek, again with the approval of the direct report, but also subject to review by the Director of Employment Services. The Director of Employment Services will review compressed work week proposals to ensure that the following standards are met:

Arrival and departure times, and days of work, are consistent day to day and week to week; Employees are notified at the inception of the compressed work week schedule that scheduled days may not be moved to accommodate holidays or vacation scheduling
In the event a staff employee claims paid leave time (medical, vacation, regular or floating paid holidays, ect.), the time reported should be based on the usual and customary schedule had the employee worked the day
Each employee is expected to adhere to the general guidelines and to continue to meet job commitments and responsibilities. This includes taking the needs of the work group into consideration when choosing a personal work schedule. An employee is also expected to avoid disruption of others' work in arrivals, departures, and breaks.

Fair administration of the general guideline will be the responsibility of each supervisor. In addition, supervisory duties will include maintaining customer and co-workers communications, satisfactory scheduling, and group morale.


Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:

The “Walk to Work” Program, funded by Macalester’s High Winds Fund, provides financial assistance for faculty and staff members to purchase homes within one mile of campus. Those who participate in the program receive “fix up” matching grants up to $4,500 for home improvement projects.

Macalester maintains 36 housing units within a quarter mile radius of the College, through the High Winds Fund. These are available to all existing and new staff and faculty. This service has been provided for the past 56 years and we have found that the temporary, college-owned housing nearby more often than not convinces new staff and faculty to purchase permanent housing nearby.

Lastly, the High Winds Fund also provides housing information services on rental and purchase opportunities within 1 mile of campus. In addition, the College has funded car-sharing and bike-sharing hubs on campus to make living close to campus even easier.


Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
Yes

A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:

Preferred parking is available for eligible low-emitting and electric vehicles and carpools or vanpools.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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